Farewell to Ramon Carlin, the Mexican amateur who stole Whitbread from the British
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If you look at the roll of honor of the legendary Whitbread (the round-the-world crewed boat race in stages, today’s Volvo Ocean Race), it is strange to see the Mexican flag associated with the winning boat of the first edition, the 1973-74 edition(where three sailors died). This was the great feat of Mexican businessman Ramon Carlin, who passed away two days ago at the age of 92. Aboard the Sayula 65, a beautiful Swan 65, it took 152 total days to complete the race’s 32,000-plus mile course.
BRITISH AND FRENCH REMAINED WITH THE PALM OF THEIR NOSES
Other times. Carlin was not a professional; his crew consisted of friends and family. At the start, the snooty British media mocked him, painting him and his crew complete with sombreros and ready for a siesta. Instead, the American took a big payback (recall that the likes of Eric Tabarly and Chay Blyth, Doi Malingri and Giorgio Falck were in the regatta). A fine documentary, “The Weekend Sailor,” was made about Carlin’s happy-ending adventure this year, recounting how an amateur managed to defeat the greatest sailors in one of the toughest challenges ever.
WATCH THE TRAILER FOR WEEKEND SAILOR
A CLOSE-KNIT CREW AND A SUPERBOAT
Thanks to a close-knit crew (Carlin’s wife even acted as cook on the first leg, from Portsmouth to Cape Town) and a superboat: a true Sparkman & Stephens fimed jewel produced in forty-one examples from 1971 to 1989. The Swan 65 is still one of the most race-winning and comfortable cruising hulls ever built.
RAMON CARLIN’S VIDEO REMEMBRANCE
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